Abstract: A preformed cartridge includes a tube. The tube has a length and diameter. The length is greater than the diameter. A plant component is sized to fit within the tube. The plant component is formed from a hardened slurry. The plant component is securely lodged within the tube. The plant component is a plant slurry injected into the tube while wet or can be a plant slurry pre-hardened in a mold before mounting inside the herb tube. The plant component further includes a heater insertion opening and a flow channel. The heater insertion opening is in communication with a flow channel. The flow channel extends along the length of the tube, and the heater insertion opening is parallel to the flow channel.

Abstract: A tray loading and unloading system has a first station with a tray mounted to a tray retainer. The tray retainer is mounted to a tray carriage. The tray carriage slides on a tray retainer rail between a tray retracted position and a tray extended position. The tray starts as an empty tray at the tray retracted position and travels to the tray extended position to receive product tubes at the tray extended position. The tray extended position has a first pushing tamper that pushes product tubes from a first loading cup into the tray.

Abstract: A plant material loader has a hopper, a hopper tray, a transfer tamper assembly, a transfer tray, a product retainer tray, product tubes and a loader tamper assembly. The hopper is configured to receive plant material. The hopper tray receives the plant material from the hopper. The hopper tray has hopper tray openings. The hopper tray has a hopper tray motion from a hopper position where the hopper tray is below the hopper to a transfer position where the hopper tray is away from the hopper and at a transfer tamper assembly. The transfer tamper assembly has transfer tamper rods and a transfer tray. The transfer tamper rods push the plant material from the hopper tray to the transfer tray.

Abstract: A preformed cartridge includes a tube. The tube has a length and diameter. The length is greater than the diameter. A plant component is sized to fit within the tube. The plant component is formed from a hardened slurry. The plant component is securely lodged within the tube. The plant component is a plant slurry injected into the tube while wet or can be a plant slurry pre-hardened in a mold before mounting inside the herb tube. The plant component further includes a heater insertion opening and a flow channel. The heater insertion opening is in communication with a flow channel. The flow channel extends along the length of the tube, and the heater insertion opening is parallel to the flow channel.

Abstract: An air switch electronic vaporizer has a rechargeable battery heating a heating element which in turn heats a heating chamber. A control board controls the electrical heating of the heating element. An outer casing is formed as a sleeve. The outer casing retains the heating element, the rechargeable battery, and the control board. A deactivation switch can be formed as a pressure sensor. The pressure sensor can be mounted at a pressure sensor opening formed on the outer casing. The pressure sensor is configured to sense a flow of air blowing across the pressure sensor opening. The control board deactivates the intellectual heating of the heating element when the pressure sensor senses a flow of air blowing across the pressure sensor opening.

Abstract: An air switch electronic vaporizer has a rechargeable battery heating a heating element which in turn heats a heating chamber. A control board controls the electrical heating of the heating element. An outer casing is formed as a sleeve. The outer casing retains the heating element, the rechargeable battery, and the control board. A deactivation switch can be formed as a pressure sensor. The pressure sensor can be mounted at a pressure sensor opening formed on the outer casing. The pressure sensor is configured to sense a flow of air blowing across the pressure sensor opening. The control board deactivates the intellectual heating of the heating element when the pressure sensor senses a flow of air blowing across the pressure sensor opening.

Abstract: A preformed cartridge includes a tube. The tube has a length and diameter. The length is greater than the diameter. A plant component is sized to fit within the tube. The plant component is formed from a hardened slurry. The plant component is securely lodged within the tube. The plant component is a plant slurry injected into the tube while wet or can be a plant slurry pre-hardened in a mold before mounting inside the herb tube. The plant component further includes a heater insertion opening and a flow channel. The heater insertion opening is in communication with a flow channel. The flow channel extends along the length of the tube, and the heater insertion opening is parallel to the flow channel.

Abstract: A preformed cartridge includes a tube. The tube has a length and diameter. The length is greater than the diameter. A plant component is sized to fit within the tube. The plant component is formed from a hardened slurry. The plant component is securely lodged within the tube. The plant component is a plant slurry injected into the tube while wet or can be a plant slurry pre-hardened in a mold before mounting inside the herb tube. The plant component further includes a heater insertion opening and a flow channel. The heater insertion opening is in communication with a flow channel. The flow channel extends along the length of the tube, and the heater insertion opening is parallel to the flow channel.

Abstract: An air switch electronic vaporizer has a rechargeable battery heating a heating element which in turn heats a heating chamber. A control board controls the electrical heating of the heating element. An outer casing is formed as a sleeve. The outer casing retains the heating element, the rechargeable battery, and the control board. A deactivation switch can be formed as a pressure sensor. The pressure sensor can be mounted at a pressure sensor opening formed on the outer casing. The pressure sensor is configured to sense a flow of air blowing across the pressure sensor opening. The control board deactivates the intellectual heating of the heating element when the pressure sensor senses a flow of air blowing across the pressure sensor opening.

Abstract: A cookware includes a cookware body, and the cookware body includes an RF device and a time module thereon. The time module monitors a cooking time of the cookware and sends a cooking time signal to the RF device; and the RF device sends a time alarming signal for alerting a user to an external receiver once the cooking time reaches a pre-set time. Once the cooking time reaches a pre-set time or the cooking temperature reaches a pre-set over boiling temperature, corresponding alarming signals are sent by the RF device to the receiver so that the user can take corresponding actions to prevent occurrence of an accident, thus improving the safety of the cookware. Furthermore, the cookware can periodically monitor the cooking time and the cooking temperature automatically to allow the user to keep track of the cooking time and the cooking temperature in real time, which is convenient.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for separating elongated semiconductor strips from a wafer of semiconductor material are disclosed. Vacuum is applied to the face of each elongated semiconductor strip forming an edge of the wafer or being adjacent to the edge. The wafer and a source of the vacuum are displaced to separate each elongated semiconductor strip from the wafer. Further, a method and an apparatus for assembling elongated semiconductor strips separated from a wafer of semiconductor material into an array of the strips are disclosed. Still further, methods, apparatuses, and systems for assembling an array of elongated semiconductor strips on a substrate are disclosed.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for separating elongated semiconductor strips from a wafer of semiconductor material are disclosed. Vacuum is applied to the face of each elongated semiconductor strip forming an edge of the wafer or being adjacent to the edge. The wafer and a source of the vacuum are displaced to separate each elongated semiconductor strip from the wafer. Further, a method and an apparatus for assembling elongated semiconductor strips separated from a wafer of semiconductor material into an array of the strips are disclosed. Still further, methods, apparatuses, and systems for assembling an array of elongated semiconductor strips on a substrate are disclosed.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for separating elongated semiconductor strips from a wafer of semiconductor material are disclosed. Vacuum is applied to the face of each semiconductor strip forming an edge of the wafer or being adjacent to the edge. The wafer and the source of the vacuum are displaced to separate each elongated semiconductor strip from the wafer. Further, a method and an apparatus for assembling elongated semiconductor strips separated from a wafer of semiconductor material into an array of strips are disclosed. Still further, methods, apparatuses, and systems for assembling an array of elongated semiconductor strips on a substrate are also disclosed.

Abstract: A radio-controlled clock (RCC) for receiving and decoding a transmitted time signal to display a precise time in accordance with a time standard. A light emitting diode (LED) display emits sufficient light for easy readability under all lighting conditions, including the time numerals. A signal reception indicator remains lit if the RCC has successfully decoded a time signal. If the time signal is currently being received and decoded, the signal reception indicator flashes. If the decoding is unsuccessful, the signal reception indicator will be unlit until the next decoding attempt. A power transformer to supply current to electronic circuitry contained within in the housing of the RCC is located in the power line cord, as at the plug end, to minimize electromagnetic interference with the decoding of the time signals. A signal strength indicator may have multiple segments to indicate if the received signal is strong, medium, weak or too weak for decoding.

Abstract: A wall clock of the analog type with hands for indicating the time includes a battery, a housing, a dial with time indicia disposed in the housing and an illumination module disposed adjacently to the dial. The illumination module has one or more recesses defined in an edge with one or more light sources disposed in the recesses to provide illumination into the module. The illumination module has edges and a back surface with light reflective properties to reflect light in the interior of the module and out the front surface and through the dial to provide night lighting exterior to the clock. Preferably, the module has an ovate shape such that the recesses and light sources are disposed outside of the dial area. A light sensor senses the ambient lighting conditions and activates and deactivates the light source. The starting and ending times for illumination may also be programmed into the clock. A battery icon has a plurality of bars to indicate the remaining battery capacity.

Abstract: A radio-controlled clock (RCC) for receiving and decoding a transmitted time signal to display a precise time in accordance with a time standard. A light emitting diode (LED) display emits sufficient light for easy readability under all lighting conditions, including the time numerals. A signal reception indicator remains lit if the RCC has successfully decoded a time signal. If the time signal is currently being received and decoded, the signal reception indicator flashes. If the decoding is unsuccessful, the signal reception indicator will be unlit until the next decoding attempt. A power transformer to supply current to electronic circuitry contained within in the housing of the RCC is located in the power line cord, as at the plug end, to minimize electromagnetic interference with the decoding of the time signals. A signal strength indicator may have multiple segments to indicate if the received signal is strong, medium, weak or too weak for decoding.

Abstract: An alarm clock of the analog type with hands for indicating the time includes a battery, a housing, a dial with time indicia disposed in the housing and an illumination module disposed adjacently to the dial. The illumination module has one or more recesses defined in an edge with one or more light sources disposed in the recesses to provide illumination into the module. The illumination module has edges and a back surface with light reflective properties to reflect light in the interior of the module and out the front surface and through the dial to provide night lighting exterior to the clock. Preferably, the module has an ovate shape such that the recesses and light sources are disposed outside of the dial area. A light sensor senses the ambient lighting conditions and activates and deactivates the light source. A dimmer control adjusts the desired level of illumination. A three position switch controls the alarm clock between alarm only, night light only, and both alarm and night light modes of operation.

Abstract: A wavelength division multiplexing/demultiplexing device is presented utilizing a polarization-based filter to separate odd and even wavelengths, or upper and lower channels of an input optical signal. The wavelength filter first converts the input signal to a predetermined polarization. A series of birefringent waveplates provide a polarization-dependent optical transmission function such that the polarized beam is decomposed into a first beam component carrying the first spectral band at a first polarization and a second beam component carrying the second spectral band at a second, orthogonal polarization. A beam displacer spatially separates the beam components into a pair of orthogonally-polarized beams. A quarter-wave plate converts these orthogonally-polarized beams into a pair of circularly-polarized beams, which are reflected by a mirror back along parallel optical paths through the quarter-wave plate, beam displacer, and waveplates.